What is made in Karur
Karur is a made-ups town: exporters cut, stitch, finish and pack household textiles, often to the buyer's own designs. IBEF names Karur, with Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur, as a major handloom export centre for bed linen, table linen, kitchen linen, toilet linen and curtains. If your label or marketing will say handloom, ask the supplier how your fabric is woven before you rely on that claim.
| Product | Typical construction | Key inspection points |
|---|---|---|
| Bed linen | Cotton or cotton-polyester percale and sateen; flat and fitted sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers | Finished size, pocket depth and elastic, closures, shade within a set |
| Table linen | Woven cotton and linen blends; tablecloths, napkins, runners, placemats | Size and squareness, mitred corners, napkin set matching |
| Kitchen linen | Tea towels, aprons, oven gloves and pot holders | Absorbency, lint, strap and pocket stitching, padding coverage |
| Curtains and towels | Woven panels with tab, eyelet or tape headings; terry towels | Drop length, eyelet finish, matched pairs, towel weight |
2025 US tariffs. Apparel Resources reported in January 2026 that, after the US raised tariffs on Indian goods on 27 August 2025, US buyers asked for discounts or cancelled orders, and many Karur units cut from six working days a week to five, some to four. US rates have changed since, so check the current duty for your product with your customs broker before you order.
What we check for Karur home textiles
Each product page sets out the full checklist. For a Karur order the checks that matter most are:
| Product | Checks on the day |
|---|---|
| Bed sheets and duvet covers | Length, width and fitted-sheet pocket depth; elastic recovery; button, zip or envelope closures; shade across sheet, cover and pillowcases |
| Table linen | Drop and shape on round and oval cloths; hem straightness; napkin size and shade within a pack |
| Kitchen linen | Tea-towel size, weight and lint; hanging loops; oven-glove padding across the whole palm |
| Curtains | Drop and width per panel; pairs matched; eyelet rust and finish; heading tape and lining |
| Towels | Weight and GSM, loop height, pulled loops, hems and borders |
| Cushion covers | Zip function, cover-to-insert fit, piping and print placement |
Every inspection also covers fibre-content and care labels, retailer barcodes, polybag warnings and carton markings. Shrinkage, colour fastness and thread count are laboratory tests; we pull and seal samples through lab testing coordination. See home textile inspection for how the checks change by product.
Common defects in Karur production
| Defect | Where it shows up | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Broken needle or metal fragment in a product | Any stitched item, found by hand check or needle detector | Critical |
| Oven glove with thin or missing padding in part of the palm | Kitchen sets | Critical |
| Size out of tolerance after finishing | Sheets, tablecloths and curtain panels | Major |
| Shade difference within a set | Sheet sets, napkin packs, curtain pairs cut from different dye lots | Major |
| Fitted-sheet pocket too shallow or weak elastic | Fitted sheets | Major |
| Wrong fibre content or missing care label | Blends sold as pure cotton or linen | Major |
| Crooked hems and uneven mitred corners | Table linen and tea towels | Minor |
| Loose threads, small oil spots, creased packing | All products | Minor |
Timing and logistics
Karur is in central Tamil Nadu, in the same textile belt as Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. We have no inspector based in Tamil Nadu, so an inspector travels in and the travel cost is quoted before you book. If you buy from more than one unit in the belt, book the visits for consecutive days so one trip covers them.
- Split production: weaving, processing, stitching and packing are often done at separate units. A during-production inspection at the stitching stage catches size and shade problems before the whole order is packed.
- Festivals: many units close for Pongal in mid-January and slow down around Diwali.
- Container stuffing: where goods are stuffed at the factory, container loading supervision records the carton count and condition and the seal number.
How to book an inspection in Karur
Send the product, the factory's address and the ready date through the booking form for Karur. Include the specification with size and weight tolerances, the label and packaging artwork and photos of the approved sample.
An inspection costs US$249 per man-day plus actual travel cost (Band C); see pricing. Within 24 hours we confirm the inspector, the notice we need, the number of man-days and the price. The report arrives within 24 hours of the inspection, with a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared.
Sources
Are you a quality inspector in Karur?
We work with vetted freelance inspectors near the factories we check. You take assignments in your own area, inspect to our checklist, and Clear To Load pays you, never the factory. Apply to inspect with us.